This time of year on the reserve is an important catch up time as we prepare for spring, which as I write this despite the cold temperatures is only 12 weeks away. Many new signs are being installed together with improvements to visitor facilities such as bicycle racks and repairs to gates and stiles. It is also a busy time for managing hedgerows and maintaining footpaths. The hedges at Powderham are managed particularly to try to attract cirl buntings and after the help of many local volunteers they have now been brought back into shape. But it doesn’t stop there; the follow up task is to plant hedgerow species to fill in some of the gaps that have been exposed from clearance work, to encourage the new growth and work towards the structure we are looking for.